Chapter 6

On day 2, I did nothing at work but my body is exhausted. I walk slowly clutching my backpack and listening to Halley's Comet by Billie Eilish. Her soothing voice and the sweet slow sweet melody. A song about love, love creeping into your heart unexpectedly. I feel my shoulders drop and my pace becomes slower matching the beat. I feel like I should be lying on the bed writing a poem about beautiful love, how beautiful and sweet is love. But the baritone piano keys at the of the song bring me back to reality. I am single and I am not dreaming about Hailey's comet any time soon.

Maybe the right song should be Happier than Ever or I Didn't Change My Number or Everybody dies. Those nostalgic songs bring the buried feelings to the surface and you start reminiscing the known and the unknown moments. Oh, Love...I will taste you again, but not now. A girl has to work harder, my focus is on the future. Living in a nice apartment, waking up to yoga, driving my SUV to work, having a lot of solo drives and driving to visit friends I have not seen in a decade. Eat nice food. My mouth salivates at the thought of a thin chicken mayo panoritis pizza sprinkled with cheddar cheese, garlic, and green chillies. I swallow hard. Why am I torturing myself after seeing the only closest nice food I can have is KFC? I have to travel to another town to get better fast food, better everything.

okay, my version of Slow Life was very edited and modern, the one we see on Netflix from American and British Movies, oh wait...not the ones from Korean dramas, for some reason they have access to everything. I guess that is how advanced their country is and how less advanced my country is. This slow life is very villagey, too much village for my liking, I am a township girl. This is also a reason why I romanticised the idea of saving village kids from the shackles of poverty and psychological oppression. But is it worth it though?

I move to the side as I see cattles being led by a man. Oh, my world! I gasp as I realise one of the animals I grew up fearing just passed by me. I glance at one of the biggest cows, with big horns and seemingly sharp at the end. Those horns can pierce into me and I could bleed to death. I take a deep breath. Paris, hold your horses, you are exaggerating. I decrease the volume of my music to stay alert of my surroundings. I pick my pace.

A hand taps my shoulder and I jump as I turn to see the face with my heart hammering against my chest.

"Hey..." He grabs my body from escaping

"...." I take deep breaths.

"Relax...It's me" He peers into my eyes trying to calm me down.

Damn! I can see it's you.

"Who creeps on somebody like that? " I finally gain the courage to utter words A part of me is frustrated, angry but then again it is childish.

"I am sorry, I called you countless times until I got closer and saw you have your earbuds on. I am sorry" His gaze turns into an empathetic gaze searching my eyes.

"It's okay" I brush off his grip and look away. I start walking again.

I hear his footsteps behind me. I see an entourage of dogs. I quickly move back and hide his body. Clutching my hands on his sun-burned tones arms of his.

"Relax, the more you do that, they will feel your fear"

"Easy for you to say" I move around as I see the dogs get closer.

"Don't worry they won't bite you" The owner warns as he can see my fear. The dogs love about with the owner and pass us by.

"Whew!" I move away from him. "I am still angry" I quickly walk.

"For what?" He yells weakly

"What you did" I yell back and walk as fast as I can.

Well...I am angry for earlier and school and for letting me walk back alone because he was still catching up with the person he denies he is in love with. I feel ignored by him today. He said nothing to me after the good luck, even when he was free. I kept on conversing with Mr Windsor who seemed too eager to forge this working relationship, as I hoped. I hope so because I like my tea black not white.

I push the steel-wheeled gate to the side and quickly push it back. Yes, I am petty, I want him to open it by himself. Maybe I should consider walking to work alone tomorrow because I did see a certain look from Ayanda when he said good luck. Do you know how painful it is to watch your lover move on before you before your eyes? It feels like death. Why am I even wondering about this? We are just commune mates and co-workers.

I reach my room, unlock my door, and enter. I drop the backpack on the floor and let my body slide to the floor against the bed. I glance at the open door with lazy eyes.

"I am tired..." I groan.

"Hey..."

"Ntshuxeko" I roll my eyes with the utmost irritated frown on my face.

"Are you angry with me? " He asks innocently. I don't even want to look at his face because his sad tone is just making me feel bad for what I am doing.

"Yes," I pout my dark brown thick semi-heart lips.

"I am sorry" He pauses "But why do I get a feeling that there is more to this? " His voice was sounding more assertive. I turn to look at him, his face is assertive as always.

"Go put your bag in your room, I will tell you everything when you come back" I gaze at him and he looks at me suspiciously. "For real" I assure him.

"Okay..." He slowly passes my door.

I stand up and quickly go to the door to see him walk away. I watch him unlock and enter the room. I quickly shut my door and locked it. I throw myself on the door.

"Please" I chuckle wickedly. "Psyche"

After a few minutes, I hear a knock on the door. He doesn't give up, doesn't he?

"Hey, I am on the phone, I will come later to your room" I yell as if I am on the phone.

"Okay," I hear his distant and disappointed voice.

Argh! I don't want to do emotions for things are based on lies. I just want to eat and prepare for work. Tomorrow is my first official day in class. I pray for God to be with me.